Archive

Have you ever imagined the day when you can search and view results on the PlayBook while still using your BlackBerry, as well as calling businesses, adding addresses to the address book, mapping directions and add events to the calendar on your BlackBerry smartphone?

This idea has been realized according to Poynt’s announcement that a new update for their BlackBerry App has been released. The new version enables users to pair their BlackBerry smartphones to the BlackBerry PlayBook. Thus users can fully enjoy the convenience of viewing listings on the PlayBook while using the BlackBerry smartphone to interact with the search results, such as businesses, people, movies, events, restaurants, gas prices and weather information in their local area without leaving the App..

Simply by selecting the ‘Pair with PlayBook’ tab in Poynt on their PlayBook and entering their BlackBerry PIN#, users can successfully pair their BlackBerry smartphone with the BlackBerry PlayBook. A security code will then be given to enter under a ‘Pair with PlayBook’ menu item on their BlackBerry smartphones. Once the devices have been paired, they will remain paired until the users opt to un-pair them and users can search Poynt by using the enhanced PlayBook interface to call businesses and add listings to their existing contacts.

Finally, we saw a BlackBerry PlayBook commercial hitting the air after it launched for a week. It seems that this 30-Second commercial is the first advertisement of the device, it does show us much of the BlackBerry PlayBook’s portability and power. It looks pretty good, and is worth of watching for anyone that wants to buy a PlayBook Tablet. Enjoy it!

Though the BlackBerry Bridge App (that allows the BlackBerry Playbook to access email, calendar, and contacts from a tethered BlackBerry smartphone) has been released, it is still not available for AT&T users, since AT&T has blocked it. AT&T confirmed to Phone Scoop that they are still testing the BlackBerry Bridge App without mentioning when the App will be available for their BlackBerry users. Spokesperson Seth Bloom said:

AT&T is working with RIM to make the BlackBerry Bridge app available for AT&T customers. We have just received the app for testing and before it’s made available to AT&T customers we want to ensure it delivers a quality experience for our customers.

Maybe it will not take too long to test the Bridge App, since it has already been made available to customers on Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint.

As the launch date of BlackBerry PlayBook drawing closer, we become much more curious about PlayBook’s details. However, RIM just asked FCC to hold BlackBerry PlayBook information until the launch date. Therefore, we only can see some internal & external photos, test setup photos, as well as the user manual of the BlackBerry PlayBook until April 19th. And I just wonder whether RIM can release the PlayBook tablet as scheduled? What do you think?

I guess most of us are curious about BlackBerry PlayBook’s battery life, such as: how long the BlackBerry PlayBook will last on earth if we keep using it? Will its battery life (5300mAh) be shorter than iPAD? What the actual battery life is after the official release…Till now, we have not heard any official news about BlackBerry PlayBook’s battery life from RIM. Fortunately, we got to know that “Battery life: 8 hours with continual use” from the PlayBook’s pre-order page posted up by Staples. Supposed that it is correct, then it would be a pretty sweet news to all the PlayBook fans! Anyway, we don’t know the actual battery life for sure until we get our hands on one. Let’s wait for the official release of the PlayBook!

Great News! RIM finally announced the BlackBerry PlayBook’s pricing, launch date as well as the stores for placing pre-orders. The PlayBook will be available in Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Best Buy Canada, Future Shop stores and Staples April 19th in the following models and prices:

16GB Wi-Fi, $499

32GB Wi-Fi, $599

64GB Wi-Fi, $699

Now, we can pre-order BlackBerry PlayBook right away by clicking the links below:

With this retail strategy, the BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to be available in over 20,000 retail outlets in the US and Canada. The WiFi version will be available in three models and will feature a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $499 in the United States and Canada. The lineup of retailers and wireless carriers currently expected to carry the BlackBerry PlayBook in the United States and Canada includes the following companies:

Glad to know that the rumored April launch for the BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet finally becomes real. Sprint has put up a landing page for the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook while we all are sitting and waiting for an official release date from RIM. Though it doesn’t give us any solid release date, it does state that the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook will be available this summer and have a “Sign Up Now” link to keep us informed of the latest news. This is the first time that the device has appeared on the carrier website, and it seems that Sprint is now preparing for the release of the 4G PlayBook!

RIM has posted up a great video to show us 2 specific BlackBerry Media Apps – 7digital Music Store and the BlackBerry Podcasts App that will come with the BlackBerry PlayBook. In the above video, BlackBerry PlayBook Product Manager Ryan Bidan provided us with some key features about each application:

7digital Music Store:

7digital Music Store offers over 13 million songs, and tracks are available at prices starting as low as $0.79 with bitrates up to 320 kbps (DRM free).

7digital Music Store content is stored in the cloud via a digital music locker for easy portability across devices and to help against accidental loss.

7digital Music Store includes a recommendation engine that features content based upon recent browsing and purchase activity.

BlackBerry Podcasts App:

The BlackBerry Podcasts app for the BlackBerry PlayBook includes 19 content categories, ranging from sports to entertainment to business, including popular content such as the New Yorker and Ask A Ninja podcasts.

BlackBerry Podcasts allow users to preview an episode before downloading or subscribing to it, and it automatically downloads new podcasts for subscribed channels.

RIM has extended their free BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet offer for developers to March 31st, 2011. Developers who submit Apps to BlackBerry App World before March 31st will have a chance to get a free PlayBook once the Apps are approved.

Here are the contest guidelines:

Developers who create a qualifying application for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet prior to its initial North American release are eligible for a free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The main criterion to qualify for the free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet offer is to have a qualifying application accepted into BlackBerry App World, subject to certain Terms and Conditions.

Note: New BlackBerry App World Vendor Guidelines have removed the requirement for a notarized proof of identity for individuals. To allow individuals time to register and qualify for the free BlackBerry PlayBook offer, the offer has been extended to March 31, 2011.

You can submit multiple BlackBerry PlayBook tablet apps into BlackBerry App World, but each BlackBerry App World vendor will only qualify for one free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Apps will need to meet the BlackBerry App World Vendor Guidelines."

Visit blackberry.com for more information about the Free BlackBerry PlayBook Offer.

According to BGR, the BlackBerry PlayBook is pushed to launch on April 10th in retail channels. It is a bit disappointed, since we are too impatient to wait the release of BlackBerry PlayBook, and we are looking forward to getting our hands on the PlayBook. Currently, the release date also cannot be confirmed, since RIM has not officially announced it. What do you think?